Aunt Chriss Meatballs Recipes

NONNA'S TRADITIONAL MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the ground beef and ground pork in a large bowl. Set aside.
• In a food processor, combine the milk, eggs, garlic, basil, parsley, cayenne and salt. Process until pureed.
• Add the wet ingredients to the meat and mix to combine. Then add breadcrumbs and Romano, and gently combine; be careful not to overwork the meat.
• With the help of an ice cream scoop (for even sizing), shape the mixture into 2-ounce meatballs and place on a baking sheet.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake the meatballs for 30 minutes.
• Add the meatballs to the Roasted Tomato Sauce and simmer for another 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a deep lasagna pan, add the garlic, anchovies, olive oil, red pepper flakes and salt. Place the pan on the stovetop and saute for 5 to 7 minutes to soften. Remove from the heat and add the canned tomatoes and oregano; mix well.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the tomatoes are nicely charred on top, 45 minutes. Let cool, then blend to your liking with an immersion blender; we like our sauce a bit chunky, but feel free to puree if you choose.

EXCELLENT MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the onions and bring to a medium-high heat. Season the onions generously with salt and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes. The onions should be very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool.
• In a large bowl combine the meats, eggs, Parmigiano, parsley and bread crumbs. It works well to squish the mixture with your hands. Add the onion mixture and season generously with salt and squish some more. Add the water and do 1 final really good squish. The mixture should be quite wet. Test the seasoning of the mix by making a mini hamburger size patty and cooking it. The mixture should taste really good! If it doesn't it is probably missing salt. Add more. Add more anyway.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Shape the meat into desired size. Some people like 'em big some people like 'em small. I prefer meatballs slightly larger than a golf ball. Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides. Place them on a cookie sheet and bake them in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked all the way through. If using right away, add them to your big pot of marinara sauce. If not using right away, they can be frozen for later use. Serve with pasta and sauce or just eat them straight out of the pot! YUM!
• Coat a large saucepot with olive oil and add the pancetta. Bring the pot to a medium-high heat and cook the pancetta for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions, season generously with salt and stir to coat with olive oil. Cook the onions for 6 to 7 minutes stirring frequently. The onions should become very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes stirring frequently.
• Pass the tomatoes through the food mill. Be sure to pass all of the pulp through the holes leaving only the stems and the seeds, and be sure to scrape the pulp off of the bottom of the food mill. That's all of the big money stuff! Add the tomatoes to the pot and rinse out 1 of the empty tomato cans with water and add that water to the pot (about 2 to 3 cups). Season generously with salt and TASTE IT!!!! Tomatoes take a lot of salt. Season in baby steps and taste every step of the way. Cook the sauce for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally and tasting frequently.
• Use the sauce right away on pasta or for any other tomato sauce need. This sauce can also be cooled and stored in the refrigerator for a few days and freezes really well.
• Yield: 2 quarts

HAZEL'S MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl. Add the onion, beef, milk, and salt; mix well. Sprinkle in the cracker crumbs and mix until evenly combined. Form the mixture into 40 meatballs and place into a 9x13 inch baking dish; set aside. Whisk the ketchup, mustard, vinegar, and sugar in a bowl; pour over the meatballs.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the meatballs are no longer pink in the center, about 1 hour.

CONNIE'S SWEET AND SOUR CHRISTMAS MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat egg and water in a bowl; add ground beef, bread crumbs, salt, and black pepper to eggs and mix thoroughly. Form ground beef mixture into bite-size meatballs; place meatballs into a large baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until meatballs are browned and no longer pink inside, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Mix ketchup, beef bouillon, and vinegar in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir brown sugar mixture into ketchup mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbling and brown sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add meatballs to sauce, stir until coated, and serve.

AUNT CHRIS'S MEATBALLS

Steps:

• mix chopmeat, eggs,pesto & grated cheese in large bowl. Put milk in sauce pan on the stove and bring to low boil,remove from stove and stir in bread crumbs.Breadcrumbs should be moist and milk fully absorbed. mix breadcrumbs into meat mixture and mix by hand until completly combined. heat oil in frying pan on stove pot. Start making balls out of meat mixture. When oil is hot, put meatballs in oil, turning occasionally. Makes about 16-20 meatballs depending on size. I then add what ever the kids don't eat to my sauce. But thats another receipe.

AUNT BARB'S SWEDISH MEAT BALLS

Steps:

• The 1 lb ground beef is frozen prepackaged Swedish meatballs readily available at your local grocery store.
• Precook meatballs as per instructions on package.
• Combine chili sauce, grape jelly, onion, garlic and worcestershire into deep frying pan.
• Heat and mix until ingredients are blended.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Add cooked meatballs, partially cover and simmer on low for half an hour or longer, stirring frequently (the longer the better to infuse the flavours into the meatballs).
• Serve hot or cold.

AUNT BECKY'S PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix first 8 ingredients together by hand in a large mixing bowl.
• Form meatballs into balls (1 tablespoon per meatball) and place in an ungreased 9X13-inch casserole dish.
• Mix together tomato sauce, 1 cup water and 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce.
• Pour over meatballs.
• Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
• Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes.
• Serve on top of mashed potatoes or rice.